


These forests are dangerous

by HeleneInTheClouds



Category: The Wizards of Once - Cressida Cowell
Genre: Gen, Perdita is only mentioned and not a huge part of this fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:40:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27196600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeleneInTheClouds/pseuds/HeleneInTheClouds
Summary: A short oneshot set in the wizards of once universe.Just read it. I can’t say anything without giving away the entire plot. It's only 900 words so there is almost no plot.There are NO spoilers for book 4 in here.(There are spoilers for book 3, but Perdita is in the tags so it should be fine.)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 8





	These forests are dangerous

**Author's Note:**

  * For [oh_anakin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oh_anakin/gifts).



> Leechdom is what medicine and healing is called in the Wildwoods, it's mentioned once.

“Are you nervous? I know how your nerves can upset you, dear.”

“No, mom, I will be fine.”

“It’s your big day!”

“Not that big of a day.” Delphinia pursed her lips.  She was nervous, and her mother even more so, for this interview was an amazing opportunity. To teach at Pook’s Hill would be a great honour, and she hadn’t slept well for a week preparing for this.

She went over the contents of her bag a final time. Motivation letter, examples of her work, scarf, extra scarf and a relevant map of the sky. _Check, check and double check._ There were rumours that the headmistress was not strict with the paperwork, but she wanted to make a good impression.

The first impression she made was a bad one.  While counting the trees on her path, she collided with another human and awkwardly tripped over her own feet. With a surprised ‘oof’, she landed on the forest floor.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” She looked up to see the surprised face of a drood man.

“No worries, it seems I’m rather lost. I have been wandering around looking for the school for a while now.” He smiled and offered her a hand.  Delphinia let him help her back on her feet, his fingers were cold to the touch despite the march wind.

“Forgot my gloves," he said, "I really should have prepared... Goodness, what will the headmistress think?”

“Don’t worry! I have spare gloves!” She silently thanked her mother for packing doubles of everything and got them out of the designated pocket of her bag.

“And I have a map too!” She pulled the map out of her coat and showed it to the drood. “I’m on my way to Pook’s Hill as well, you see, interviewing to be a teacher, and...” Delphinia halted. “My apologies, I haven’t even asked your name yet. I’m Delphinia of the Northern Woods.”

“Nice to meet you. I am Hawthorne, interviewing to be the new word-learning teacher.” The drood smiled. “I do hope you are not here for word-teaching, you’re far better prepared than I am.”

“No! No, I am not! I’d rather go without word teaching at all, I’d rather look at the night sky, you know?” Realising that she’d just insulted him, Delphinia wanted to run back home in shame. “Not that- not that that is bad, word teaching is great, I mean-“ She frayed the edges of her map in embarrassment.

Hawthorne just laughed. “No worries. I know word-teaching is not for everyone. I meant what I said though, do you have proper paperwork for everything?”

Delphinia practically beamed at him. It was very rare to meet someone who appreciated her tidyness. “Oh yes! I have a teachers qualification, examples of my work... everything the headmistress may ask for.” She patted her bag.

“Then I wish you the best of luck with your interview. I am sure you will land the job.” 

Hawthorne smiled and Delphinia smiled back.

Together they walked the path to Pook’s Hill, which was annoyingly well hidden. They were nearly there when Hawthorne grasped at his stomach and leaned against a nearby tree. “Can you excuse me for a second, I feel unwell.”

“Do I need to find someone who studied Leechdom?”

“It’s just a stomach ache, I will be back soon.” He winked as he went back into the forest. “No worries!”

Delphinia really ought to remember that. Worrying was in her blood and only strict organisation could calm her.

It had been five minutes, and Hawthorne was still not back. She hesitated. Bumping into a stranger added 3 minutes to the travel time she’d calculated for in her schedule, but it would be unfriendly to leave him here.  He did not have a map, he hadn’t called her names for insulting him and he wasn’t a rival for her job either. And what if he was truly ill? There would be someone in Pook’s Hill to help him, so he could not get lost again.

Delphina carefully stepped through the undergrowth. If her skirt got stuck in some brambles she would not look prim and proper, and her mother had washed it twice, specifically for today.

“Hellooo???”

Where could one drood have wandered off to? He was tall, sure, but his legs couldn’t have made giants’ steps.

“Haaaaawthorne???”

Delphinia audibly gasped from sweet relief when she saw his silhouette. They were 11 minutes and 20 seconds behind schedule, but they could still make it in time.

Instead, it was a woman, wearing Hawthorne’s clothes.

“Hawthorne is that you? Are you a shapeshifter?” Truth be told, she did not know a lot about shapeshifting, but Hawthorne deserved that job no matter what shape he or she was in. “There’s absolutely nothing to worry about, I’ve heard the headmistress is very accepting. Man, woman, both or something in between- No worries, right?”

“Mister Alder served me well.” The now female Hawthorne said.

Delphinia tried to repress a confused stare. She wanted to help, but these talks were not her strong suit and now they were twelve minutes behind the schedule. 

She didn’t have time to think about why this lady seemed vaguely familiar, (Sharp cheekbones, blonde hair and a larger than average nose), when she spotted the glint of a knife in Hawthorne’s cloak. Delphinia stood frozen, helpless, like a trapped wild thing, as the lady whispered: 

“I think I will call you madam Clairvoy.”


End file.
